A Question of Love
by Livin4Jesus
Summary: Companion piece to my story "Broken Arrows." Henry has a very important question to ask Abigail, but not before he runs it by her kids first. Abigail/Henry
1. A Family

**A/N Here is the short follow up to my story _Broken Arrows,_ that I promised to my readers of that story. If you have not read that story, you may be a bit confused in this one, but feel free to read it anyway. :)**

 **A Family**

It was early morning when Henry left his house and headed to Abigail's cafe, as had become his daily routine over the past few months.

Every morning, he would go to the cafe and have breakfast with Abigail and Cody (and Becky when she was home) before heading off to work.

This particular morning was cool but not cold. Thankfully. It had been a little over six months since his bout of hypothermia and brush with pneumonia, but he still wasn't a fan of the cold. He honestly wasn't sure if his body was more susceptible to it now, or if it was purely a psychological thing, but he dreaded the next time winter decided to come around.

It was still early yet, so the town wasn't fully bustling with activity, but it wasn't entirely still and silent either. A fair number of people, mostly business owners, were out and about, opening up shops and getting ready to start the day.

Henry passed by several of these people as he made his way along main street, and as had become usual, he couldn't stop the small, grateful smile that spread across his face as people, not only no longer went out of their way to avoid him, but actually greeted him with words or a nod, even friendly smiles, now. After the incidents with Jack and Cody back before Christmas, the glares and hatred had lessened. People had started begrudgingly giving him a chance, instead of making up their minds on sight. And as the months had passed, and his parole had concluded, making him a fully free man once more, and still, he continued to be a hard-working, helpful, upstanding citizen of the town with nary a scheme or underhanded action to be seen, the townspeople had gradually shifted from neutral suspicion, to guarded acquaintanceship, to friendly association.

And Henry couldn't be more humbled or grateful for it. God had been so good to him these last months, far better than he ever deserved.

Speaking of far better than he deserved... Reaching the cafe, Henry opened the back door and stepped into the kitchen to see the most beautiful sight in the world. One that never failed to make his heart leap and his breath catch.

 **)()()(**

Abigail was preparing breakfast, her back to the door, when she heard it open. Knowing who it was, she turned around with a bright smile.

"Hey," she greeted Henry warmly as he closed the door behind him.

She moved toward him, but just as she came within arms reach, he grabbed her hand, spun her one time completely around, as if they were dancing, and pulled her into his arms.

One second, she'd been walking toward him, and the next, with a kaleidoscope of movement, her hands were resting on his chest as his arms encircled her.

Her soft laugh was cut off as he kissed her, long and deep, ultimately only breaking off due to lack of air.

"Good morning," he greeted.

"It is now," Abigail said with an almost dreamy smile as she looked at him adoringly. Even after six months of being together as a couple, it still felt completely new and wonderful.

She sighed softly, content to just be in his arms. Unfortunately, the world didn't stop turning every time they were together, despite it feeling that way. Running her fingers lightly over his cheek, she patted his chest and moved away.

Reluctantly, he let her go so she could finish up breakfast. They both had to get to work before too long, and the kids would be down soon to eat with them.

Becky was home on break for a few weeks, so it was one of those rare times when they were all together. And Henry loved every moment he got to spend with the three of them.

It was only minutes after he arrived, that the sound of footsteps could be heard thundering down the stairs.

"Mister Henry!" Cody greeted.

Henry never tired of the boy's exuberance. No matter how recently Henry had seen the boy, Cody always greeted him as if they hadn't seen each other for months.

Clearing the last step with a jump, Cody ran toward him.

Before the boy could react, Henry ducked down, grabbing Cody and slinging him over his shoulder.

"Abigail? Have you seen Cody? I would have thought he'd be down by now," Henry said amid delighted laughter from the boy.

"No. Can't say that I have," she played along, an amused smile on her face.

"Well," Henry sighed. "I guess I'm just going to have to go to work without seeing him today."

"I'm right here," Cody laughed.

"Did you hear that?" Henry asked Abigail. "I could have sworn I heard something."

"You know, I think I did too," she said.

Small hands patted him on the back. "I'm right here."

Henry jerked slightly as if only just noticing the boy over his shoulder.

"Cody? What're you doing up there?"

Cody laughed hysterically as Henry swung him down and set him back on his feet. He leaned over the boy, hugging him from behind and digging his fingers into the boy's ribs. Cody unsuccessfully grabbed at the hands tickling him, laughing uncontrollably.

Abigail watched them, her heart swelling with love. She couldn't believe how good Henry had ended up being with her children. Even Henry had been surprised, insisting that it wasn't all children that it extended to, just Cody and Becky, since they were special.

Secretly, Abigail thought he actually had a natural talent for connecting with children. He'd just never had the occasion to use it, until he started spending so much time with Cody.

He released the boy with a pat to his shoulder as Becky came down the stairs.

"Morning, sweetheart," he said, kissing her cheek as she passed.

"Morning, Henry," she said, hugging him briefly before doing to same with Abigail.

Henry smiled slightly. He'd long ago asked her to call him Henry as he still despised hearing most people call him "Mister Gowan" these days. Her use of his first name was better but... Well, if he was being honest with himself, it wasn't quite what he really wanted to be called, by either her or her brother, but he wouldn't complain.

They'd both accepted him so openly, it still humbled him.

Minutes later, they were all sitting down for breakfast, talking and laughing as they passed plates of food and ate happily. It was so domestic, so much like a typical family that Henry still found himself taken off guard at times. This, having a place to belong and people to call home, was something he'd craved for so long without even realizing it. He hadn't even known just how much he'd wanted a family, until he'd finally gotten one. Just as he'd never known what true happiness was until these three people had let him into their lives.

After breakfast, the kids cleared the table as he helped Abigail clean up, briefly remembering a time when the two of them washing the dishes had led to a spontaneous and silly water fight that had resulted in one of the best moments of his life... The first time he'd ever kissed her.

Lost in his thoughts, he lingered near the back door, casually leaning against the wall, and just watched her as she moved around the kitchen, tidying and setting up for the day before she had to leave for the mayor's office.

Her movements were quick, slightly hurried, but not frantic. Henry knew she had an early meeting, but she wasn't running late just yet. She did need to wrap things up and get going pretty soon, though.

However, the office _could_ wait just another moment or two.

As she passed by him for the umpteenth time, he pushed away from the wall and stepped into her path.

She stopped short and sighed, trying to look put-out but couldn't hold back her smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, right here," he said with a grin.

She laughed fondly and patted him on the chest as she pushed away from him. "You need to get to work," she said. "And so do I."

Grabbing his coat, she handed it to him as she gave him a quick kiss goodbye, with every intention of sending him on his way, but paused as he smiled that soft, dreamy smile that he always got when she kissed him, no matter how briefly. It was as if, even after all these months, he still wasn't used to her kissing him. He'd even told her once that he'd never get tired of it. And every time he looked at her like that, she fully believed it.

"I love you," she said with a smile, and was gratified to see that same brief flicker of surprise and disbelief flash through his eyes, followed by absolute and utter joy.

She'd originally noticed it not long after they'd first started saying that to each other. Every time she told him, it was like it still surprised him that she loved him, like he still couldn't believe any of this was real and was actually his life.

She understood that completely, some days it still felt surreal how much her life had changed in such a short time. She thanked God every day for all of the wonderful blessings He'd given her.

"I love you too, Abigail," he said softly.

And that was something she would never get tired of either. The way he said that, with such love and tenderness. For him, those words still meant just as much now as they had the first time he'd uttered them, maybe even more so.

And she still adored the way he said her name. There was just something in the way he said it, like getting to say her name was a solemn privilege that had been bestowed on him, and that he'd never take for granted.

Forgetting her rush for just a moment, she took the time to lean in, resting a hand on his chest as she kissed him softly, slowly, and was gratified to see a dazed expression on his face when she pulled back.

"See you later?" she asked.

He nodded vaguely, still starry-eyed.

She laughed and caressed his cheek. "Have a good day at work."

"You too," he said softly.

And with one, last, quick kiss, she was ushering him out the door. With a hurried goodbye to the kids, he very reluctantly allowed her to shoo him out of the cafe.

Turning, he headed in the direction of the sawmill, but as soon as he was out of sight of the cafe, he stopped, hiding slightly behind another building, and waited.

A few minutes later, Abigail slipped out of the cafe and headed toward the mayor's office. He watched her, staying out of sight until the door to the mayor's office shut behind her.

He sighed softly as she disappeared from sight. He still couldn't believe that she had even deigned to care about him, let alone love him.

She was the one.

He'd long since known he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, even before they'd started officially courting, and that desire had only grown stronger over the last six months. But it wasn't just about him. There was much more involved here, so he'd taken his time and done it right, like she, like _they_ deserved.

But now, he felt like it might, finally, be time. With Becky home for several more weeks, the opportunity was finally presenting itself, and he was going to seize it.

As soon as he was sure Abigail was safely at the mayor's office for the day, he slipped back over to the cafe. Cody didn't have school today and Becky had been back almost a week now and had settled back in enough that he was finally ready to have this talk with the two of them.

When they saw him, surprise, mixed with a bit of concern, showed on their faces.

"Mister Henry?" Cody asked. "I thought you were going to work?"

"Is something wrong?" Becky asked.

"No. Nothing's wrong," he said easily. "There's just something I need to talk to you both about, and it's something I don't want your mother to know just yet."

Something seemed to briefly reflect in Becky's eyes (knowing? Expectation?) and she smiled slightly as if she knew some secret no one else did. While Cody was clearly oblivious, confusion and curiosity shining in his face, Henry thought Becky might suspect where this was going.

"Let's sit down," he said.

Once the three of them were seated, he cleared his throat, suddenly nervous. He hadn't really taken the time to think about the possibility that this might not go the way he wanted it to, until he was suddenly looking into their expectant faces.

Taking a deep breath, he decided it was now or never.

"You both know how much I love your mother?" he asked.

They both nodded easily.

"And how much I love both of you as well?"

More nods.

Their polite silence was beginning to make him even more nervous than he'd already been as he worked up to asking what he needed to.

Shifting slightly in his seat, he leaned his arms on the table and forced himself to meet their eyes.

"I'd like to ask your mother to marry me," he said and felt some measure of relief as their faces lit up. "But this isn't just about me. It's about the both of you too. Which is why I'm coming to you first. To ask for your blessings to propose."

There. He'd said it.

He waited for a tense moment, hoping, praying...

"Yes!" Cody exclaimed, throwing both fists into the air excitedly.

"Of course, you have our blessing!" Becky said with a wide smile. "We've both known you were probably going to propose, eventually, and have been wondering how long it might be before you did," she admitted.

He looked at them in surprise for a moment before sighing in relief and smiling broadly.

"Thank you," he said.

"When are you going to do it?" Cody asked excitedly.

"Well, that's something else I needed to talk to you both about. I don't quite have everything in place for that yet. You see, I want you two to be a part of this too and... I need some help."

"With what?" Becky asked.

"Well, for starters, picking out a ring."

The two siblings looked at each other with excited surprise.

"Think you could help me out?" he asked with a grin.

"Yes!" Cody crowed.

"Absolutely!" Becky agreed.

 **)()()(**

Two days later...

"What do you think?" Becky quietly asked Cody as they stood in the mercantile.

Cody looked at the picture of the ring Becky was surreptitiously showing him in one of the mercantile's catalogs.

He smiled broadly. "It's perfect," he whispered. He looked up at his sister. "Should I go find Mister Henry?"

Becky nodded and Cody turned, careful not to go bounding out of the building with too much enthusiasm so as not to draw too much attention to himself. They were trying to keep the whole thing secret. So far, outside of the two of them and Henry, only Katie Yost knew there was an impending proposal, due to them needing the catalog of rings and someone to order one for them once the right one was found. And Lord knew her father couldn't keep a secret to save his life, but Katie could be trusted to keep the knowledge close to the vest.

As Cody stepped out of the mercantile, he paused, scanning the nearby area, hoping to see...

There, just across the street, Henry was standing with Sheriff Avery and Pastor Frank, the three men smiling and laughing as they talked.

Carefully looking both ways to be sure no riders or wagons were approaching, Cody jumped off the walkway and took off across the street.

"Mister Henry!" he called, unable to hold back his excitement any longer as he ran up to the three men. "Becky needs to show you something."

Henry immediately turned at the sound of the boy's voice. "What is it?" he asked, his brow furrowing with some slight concern at Cody's rapid, almost urgent, approach.

Cody glanced at Bill and Frank before looking back at Henry.

"She's at the mercantile. She needs to _show you something_ ," he stressed.

Henry's expression instantly cleared. "Ah." He turned and nodded to the other two men. "Bill, Frank, if you'll excuse me."

Then he headed off in the direction of the mercantile before either Bill or Frank could so much as respond.

Cody was about to follow when he was stopped short by Sheriff Avery.

"Cody?" Bill called after the boy before he could leave.

Cody turned back to him expectantly.

"What was that all about?" he asked with some concern, hoping nothing was wrong.

Cody eyed them both appraisingly for a long moment. "Can you keep a secret?"

Bill and Frank glanced at each other before looking back at the boy and nodding.

Cody glanced around them as if to be sure no one could overhear and stepped closer, his voice low.

"We're helping him pick out a ring."

Bill's and Frank's eyebrows flew upward and they looked at each other as if to check that they had both heard the same thing.

"You mean..." Bill trailed off and unobtrusively touched his left ring finger.

"Yep!" Cody said with a nod and a big grin. "But don't tell anyone," he warned.

"My lips are sealed," Bill promised.

"On my word as a pastor," Frank solemnly vowed, a hand raised as if he were being sworn in to some kind of office or secret society.

With another grin and a wave, Cody bounded off in the direction of the mercantile.

Still looking after the boy, Bill whistled lowly. "I guess it's not really a surprise. We've all seen it coming... but still."

"Yeah," Frank agreed.

Bill shook his head. "You know, I didn't like you when we first met." He turned and met Frank's eyes.

"You say that like it's something I don't already know," Frank said with a laugh.

"Yeah," Bill agreed with a chuckle. "I didn't make much secret of it, did I?"

"Not at all, actually. But just so you know, I didn't like you, either."

Bill laughed again. "I never would have guessed."

Frank grinned.

"I saw you as a rival," Bill admitted. "Back then, I still had feelings for Abigail. That's why I didn't like you."

"Same reason I didn't like you," Frank agreed.

"Back then, we were both so worried and threatened by each other..." Bill trailed off with a shake of his head as he looked up the street toward the mercantile again. "Did you ever imagine it would actually be Henry Gowan who would beat us both out?"

Frank huffed incredulously. "I don't think anyone but God imagined that one, Bill."

"Isn't that the truth," he agreed.

 **)()()(**

Two weeks later, it was finally time to pop the question.

With Becky and Cody's help, he'd picked out what all three of them were certain was the perfect ring. He'd laid out his ideas for how to go about the proposal and had gotten hearty approval from both of them.

He was as ready as he'd ever be. The whole thing was planned out... At least, he hoped it went according to plan.

It was fairly simple, really, but Henry knew it was exactly the type of proposal Abigail would want. He knew her well enough to know she'd much rather forgo any grand gestures or profound theatrics in favor of an honest, loving, intimate moment. As long as it involved the two of them and both kids, it would be perfect. He hoped.

He knew all of this, so certainly, but was still nervous beyond imagination, second guessing himself repeatedly throughout the day and barely able to focus on anything else.

But, ultimately, he stuck to his original plans. That evening, he started by making her dinner, which wasn't that out of the ordinary. He always ate dinner with Abigail and Cody (and Becky when she was home) every evening. And he'd made plenty of meals for all of them over the past few months. For her, this was just another routine dinner for the four of them. Aside from the fact that he'd made all of her favorite foods, there was nothing to indicate anything special about that evening. Which was exactly how he wanted it. He wanted it to be a complete surprise.

After the meal was finished, and as she was putting the dishes in the sink, her back to them, he shot the kids a quick, conspiratorial look.

With encouraging nods from both of them, he stood and moved to stand behind her.

"Abigail?"

She turned to look at him, concern briefly flickering across her face at his serious expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Heart pounding, he took her hands.

"I love you," he said, looking deeply into her eyes. "For so many reasons. Your faith and kindness, your selflessness, and your beauty, both inside and out. You are everything to me. You and your kids. I wasn't a good man when we first met. I was greedy and selfish for so long. And I was also completely alone. Right up until you marched into my house that Christmas and basically told me you were going to be my friend whether I liked it or not." He sighed breathily. "And you have been, Abigail. You're my best friend. You've changed me so much. You've made me a better man, someone I don't hate when I look in the mirror anymore. You saved me." His voice grew thick, and his eyes just as bright as hers were. "And if you'll have me, I want to spend every day of the rest of my life doing whatever it takes to make you happy. So..."

His hands shook slightly as he pulled the small box from his pocket and dropped to one knee. Holding it out to her, he opened it to reveal a beautiful sapphire ring.

Abigail gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Abigail Stanton, will you marry me?"

She was already nodding before he even finished the question.

"Yes," she whispered, tears of happiness rolling down her face. "Yes, a million times, yes!"

Joy consumed him and a huge smile spread across his face.

Slipping the ring on her finger, he stood. As she wrapped her arms around his neck he pulled her close and kissed her softly, lovingly.

Happiness swelled within him until he couldn't contain it any longer. Tightening his hold on her, he picked her up and spun her around.

She let out a startled yelp that turned into joyful laughter, which was quickly followed by his own, amid happy applause and cheers from Becky and Cody.

Setting her gently back on her feet, he rested his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes with the biggest smile possible on his face. He'd never felt joy like this in his life, and he marveled at it.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she responded, caressing his cheek.

He would never get tired of hearing that.

After a moment, he stepped back slightly, but didn't fully let go of her. Keeping an arm wrapped around her, he turned toward Becky and Cody who were standing nearby, grinning broadly.

"Come here you two," he said, holding out his arm toward them.

They didn't hesitate to run forward, the four of them eagerly sharing in the group hug.

After a long, wonderful moment, the kids pulled back slightly.

"Did you two know about this?" Abigail asked.

They both nodded, grinning widely.

"We helped pick out the ring," Cody said.

She looked at Henry, wondering how she had been blessed enough to have such a wonderful man who not only loved her, but her kids too.

Her eyes dropped to look at her hand where it rested on Henry's chest, the ring glittering on her finger. She smiled. The simple, elegant, deep sapphire ring was exactly the kind that she would have chosen for herself. It was perfect, right down to being her favorite color.

"Well, all three of you did a wonderful job," she said honestly. "I love it."

Looking into Henry's eyes, she leaned in and kissed him again.

"We're going to be a family," Becky said softly, smiling broadly.

"Does that mean..." Cody broke off.

Henry looked down at him. Uncertainty shone in the boy's eyes, as if he wanted to ask something, but wasn't sure if he should.

Letting go of Abigail, Henry knelt down in front of the boy, resting a hand on his small shoulder.

"What is it, Cody?"

"I just... Does this mean that..." He shifted slightly, his eyes on the floor. "Can I call you Dad, now?" he asked softly, his eyes flicking up from the floor to meet Henry's.

A soft breath that could only be described as a sob of pure joy rushed out of him. "I would love that," he said, his voice thick as his emotions overwhelmed him.

The smile that spread across Cody's face could only be described as radiant. Small arms wrapped around his neck, and he held the boy close.

Henry looked at Abigail in wonder, her eyes just as bright as his own.

"I love you, Dad."

And there came the tears.

One glance at Abigail and Becky, confirmed he wasn't the only one.

Abigail had one hand over her heart and the fingers of her other hand resting on the massive smile on her face.

Similarly, Becky looked like her cheeks might just split if she smiled any wider, as both women cried tears of joy and wonder that perfectly matched his own.

Words could not possibly describe everything Henry felt in that moment. He didn't know how he could feel so much, so deeply, and not burst from the power of it. When he finally spoke, his voice was choked with so much love and joy, he had to fight to make the words intelligible.

Closing his eyes and holding on to the boy, _his_ boy, so tightly, he whispered perhaps the most important and wonderful words of his entire life.

"I love you too, Son."

* * *

 **A/N Okay, so this was _supposed_ to be a one-shot, but of course, everything I write always grows. So there will be another short chapter after this. Because the rest of our favorite Hope Valley characters refused to fully sit this one out. I have it mostly written, but I'm going out of town this weekend, so it won't be until early next week, at the soonest, before I'll have it finished and posted. Be sure to keep an eye out and come back for the conclusion! :)**


	2. A Promise

**A Promise**

The morning after Henry's proposal, Abigail was still reeling with disbelief and happiness.

After eating breakfast as a family, Henry and Cody made themselves scarce, Henry slipping out of the cafe and Cody heading upstairs as the women started arriving.

Abigail had invited Elizabeth, Rosemary, Florence, Dottie, and Clara over for tea. It was spur of the moment, but thankfully, they could all make it. She wanted to tell them all together and wasn't sure how long she could keep the news a secret. She was dying to tell everyone.

Even so, she carefully kept her hand unobtrusively hidden until the right moment. She and Becky shared more than one knowing look, but managed to keep straight faces and act like nothing was out of the ordinary as they all sat down in the back of the kitchen. Perching on the couch, between Becky and Clara, Abigail nonchalantly reached out and picked up the teapot, from the small table in front of the couch, and began pouring the tea as Becky and Clara helped pass out the filled cups.

Everything was perfectly normal, right up until Rosemary screamed, startling everyone except Abigail. She'd known Rosemary would be the one to notice first.

The other women looked at the usually vociferous woman in alarm as she, quite beyond words, merely squealed and pointed at Abigail.

They all followed the gesture, their eyes landing on Abigail's hand and the sparkling ring that adorned it.

In the next moment, Rosemary's excited screams weren't the only ones ringing through the room.

"What!"

"No!"

"Really?"

Abigail nodded and for the next several minutes, the sounds of excited, overjoyed chaos filled the room as hugs were exchanged left and right, the story of the proposal was told to a chorus of 'awws,' and the ring 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over.

Just as things were starting to settle down, the chaos finally running its course, Abigial looked at the six women in the room and said the one thing that had every last bit of excitement, squealing, and talking over each other, starting up all over again.

"And I want all of you to be my maids of honor."

 **)()()(**

When Henry got to the saloon, his friends were already there. Jack, Carson, Lee, Bill, and Frank sat around a table chatting and drinking coffee.

It wasn't uncommon for the six of them to meet up to talk and pass the time like this, and seeing as they hadn't had the chance to do so for a few days now, none of them had suspected anything out of the ordinary when he'd briefly sought each of them out to suggest the get-together.

He nodded at them, acknowledging their welcoming smiles with one of his own as he took the last remaining seat, a cup of coffee already waiting for him.

"I'm glad you suggested this, Henry. We haven't gotten to do this lately," Jack said.

"Yeah, and with all the girls gathered up at Abigail's, it's nice to hang out with the guys," Lee agreed.

"Yeah, what's that about, anyway?" Bill asked. "You two coordinating your tea parties now, or what?"

Henry took a sip of his coffee to hide his borderline smile. "Maybe," he said vaguely.

Frank furrowed his brow at Henry. There was something different, something off about the way he was acting.

And apparently Frank wasn't the only one who had noticed.

"Everything alright, Henry?" Carson asked.

"Yeah, sure," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. He wanted to wait for just the right moment to tell them, but didn't know how much longer he could keep from just blurting it out. He looked at his coffee mug, fiddling with it slightly. "I'm pretty good, actually." His voice sounded normal enough to his own ears, and he might have managed to fool them, if not for the slightest hint of a smile that gave him away to two of his friends.

Bill and Frank shared a curious look, which Henry didn't miss. He narrowed his eyes as they stared back at him a little too knowingly.

"Let me guess," he said with a grin, "Cody?"

"He... might have mentioned something a couple weeks ago," Bill admitted.

"But he swore us to secrecy," Frank assured.

Jack looked around, seeing Lee and Carson just as in the dark as he was.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, looking between the three of them. "What're we missing?"

Henry smirked slightly as he took a sip of his coffee, then shrugged.

"I might have asked Abigail to marry me last night."

Shocked silence swept over them for a moment before it broke with spectacular fashion as his friends all leaped to their feet and started talking at once.

"What!"

"No way!"

"Congratulations, Henry!"

The next few minutes were a whirlwind of congratulations, handshakes, and pats on the back, before Bill momentarily broke the moment.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense."

"Yeah, what'd she say?" Frank joked.

Henry laughed and shook his head as he looked at his friends wryly.

"She said yes," he said dryly.

Bill and Frank laughed unrepentantly.

"Well, we figured it was a fifty-fifty shot," Frank teased before sobering and holding out his hand with a genuine smile. "Congratulations, Henry."

Henry took the hand gratefully, and happily shook it.

"Thank you," he said softly. "Now," he announced, looking at his five friends, "I expect all of you to be my best men."

"All of us?" Lee asked. "All _five_ of us?"

"Six actually," Henry said with a grin, "Cody already said yes. But yeah, you're my closest friends. I can't choose between you. Besides, Abigail is planning on having six maids of honor."

"Oh, now we get to the truth of the matter," Bill teased, eliciting a laugh from Henry.

"Have you set a date yet?" Carson asked.

"Not the exact day, but Christmastime," Henry said.

Several small smiles broke out at that. He didn't have to explain the reasoning behind that decision. His friends all knew the significance of Christmastime to him and Abigail.

It had been right at Christmas when Abigial had stubbornly befriended him, against all of his vehement protests and bitter resentment.

It was nearly Christmas when Abigail had graciously brought him back to town, giving him a reprieve from the tent camp, and he'd repaid that kindness by rescuing Becky from the train depot.

And it had been just before Christmas when they'd shared their first kiss, and said "I love you" for the first time.

It was only fitting that their wedding be at Christmastime too.

After that, another round of handshakes and back patting ensued between him and his friends before they were all buying him more coffee (with the promise of a celebratory drink later in the day) and announcing the news to anyone within earshot.

 **)()()(**

Leaving his friends after over an hour of talking and celebrating, Henry found himself walking toward the edge of town. As great as it was to share the news with his friends, and even more to have that amazing news _to_ share, something was weighing on him. Something in the back of his mind prodded at him, refusing to let him alone.

Lost in thought, it took him a moment to realize why he was even headed out of town.

When he did, he paused, letting out a deep breath.

Setting out again, it didn't take long for him to find his way to his intended destination. He hadn't been out this way in... he didn't even know how long it had been. Years for sure.

His mood was solemn and sober as he weaved his way around the many crosses and other markers in the area. It wasn't a huge place, thankfully, but it was still much too large in his opinion.

Slowing his pace, he came to a stop before two particular crosses sticking up out of the ground, each inscribed with a name.

Noah Stanton and Peter Stanton.

He sighed.

"I... uh... I'm not entirely sure why I'm here," he admitted. "I just felt like I needed to come." He looked down at his hands where he was restlessly rubbing them together. "She was yours first. You both loved her first." He looked back at the markers again. "If I could ask each of your permission, I would. Since I can't, I'll just make you both a promise, here, before God. I promise you, I will spend the rest of my life doing everything in my power to make her happy."

The sound of footsteps startled him, and he turned.

Behind him, Abigail stood, a soft, adoring smile on her face. His breath caught in surprise and disbelief like it always did when she looked at him like that.

She stepped forward and wrapped an arm around him, leaning against his side as she looked at the two crosses.

"God sent me a good one, Noah," she said softly. "You would approve. Both of you." She looked at Henry. "I know it."

She kissed him tenderly before resting her head on his shoulder and looking at the engraved names again.

"You would both approve anyone who loved me this much."

Henry tightened his arms around her, holding her close, and let his eyes slip shut as he rested his cheek on top of her head. In his heart, he liked to think Noah and Peter had heard them and did approve.

 _Tell them thank you for me_ , he silently prayed as he pressed a soft kiss to Abigail's hair, his heart feeling complete, for perhaps the first time in his life.

 **The End**

* * *

 ** **A/N And that's it for this storyline. I'm not completely ruling out more stories in this fandom, hopefully I will have more inspiration and write more for these two characters in the future, but I don't have any actual plans for the time being, so for now, this is it. Until we meet again! :)****


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